productivity Archives - Page 2 of 7

5 Favorite Things I Found in June: Writing Tips and Creative Inspiration

Published July 9, 2022 | Last Updated November 13, 2023 By Nicole Bianchi 9 Comments

Hello, friends!

In my Saturday email newsletters, I usually include a little section with links to articles and writing tips I’ve stumbled across in my Internet travels. But sometimes I want to make a comment on one of the articles or highlight a specific quote. So I thought I’d turn that little section into its own blog post today and share five favorite writerly things I found in June.

Let me know if you like this format, and I might write up a second installment next month. Enjoy!

[Read more…]

Three Journaling Methods for Increased Productivity and Creativity (Video)

Published January 15, 2022 | Last Updated November 13, 2023 By Nicole Bianchi 1 Comment

In this video, I’m sharing the three journaling methods I’m using in 2022 to boost my creativity and productivity and stay on track with my goals and projects. Two I’ve been keeping for years (one inspired by Benjamin Franklin’s daily schedule, the other by John Steinbeck’s notebooks). The third is completely new.

Do you keep a journal? Or are you planning on keeping a journal this year? What are your favorite journaling methods? Let me know in the comments.

If you enjoy the video, be sure to give it a thumbs up on YouTube and subscribe to the channel. This will encourage YouTube to share the video with more people. Thanks so much!

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS VIDEO:

📝 My blog post about Benjamin Franklin’s daily schedule: https://nicolebianchi.com/benjamin-franklin-daily-schedule/
📝 My blog post about my journals: https://nicolebianchi.com/journals/
📝 A peek into the notebooks of famous writers: https://nicolebianchi.com/how-to-keep-writing-notebook/
📚John Steinbeck’s journals of The Grapes of Wrath: https://amzn.to/3Kdpk0Q (affiliate link)
💻 Day One: https://dayoneapp.com
💻 Evernote: https://evernote.com
📬 My email newsletter, The Inkwell: https://nicolebianchi.com/newsletter/

How to Prepare for NaNoWriMo: 7 Helpful Resources

Published October 22, 2021 | Last Updated October 22, 2021 By Nicole Bianchi 4 Comments

National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) is nearly here. If you’ve never heard of NaNoWriMo before, it’s a 30-day challenge to write 50,000 words of a novel during the month of November.

Now, that’s the official challenge, but I love adapting NaNoWriMo to my own writing goals. It’s a fantastic way to motivate yourself to make progress or get started on any writing project (fiction or nonfiction) that you’ve been procrastinating over.

I’ve put together this article rounding up lots of resources I’ve created over the years to help you crush your writing goals this upcoming month, whether you’re taking part in the challenge or not. Let’s dive in.

[Read more…]

How to Quickly Write Fantastic Essays and Blog Posts: 8-Step Writing Process (Video)

Published October 17, 2021 | Last Updated October 17, 2021 By Nicole Bianchi 1 Comment

In this video, I share an 8-step process that will help you write a fantastic essay, article, or blog post fast, whether your deadline is in a few days or tomorrow morning. ✍️ 😅

I use this process for all of the nonfiction pieces I work on (blog posts, memoir essays, and more). If you have more time to work on your piece, you can devote more time to each step. I definitely recommend spending more time on your paper if you can. Often I’ll devote an entire day or more to each individual step if I’m not working on a tight deadline. Hope this video helps you!

I hope you enjoy the video! It would be awesome if you could give it a thumbs up and leave a comment on YouTube. This helps me know you are enjoying these videos. Do you have any more tips for writing a gripping inciting incident?

Also make sure to subscribe to my channel if you haven’t already!

I’ve just started making YouTube videos and really appreciate your support. I hope the video inspires you with your writing. Thanks for watching!

**RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS VIDEO**:

🎥 Writing in Your Head Strategy (video): https://youtu.be/rH1Tpwb4WS0
📝 Thesis Statement Formulas: https://nicolebianchi.com/one-sentence-synopsis
📝 Timed Writing (Pomodoro Technique): https://nicolebianchi.com/anthony-trollope-timed-writing-strategy
📝 7-Step Editing Checklist: https://nicolebianchi.com/edit-writing
📚 ProWritingAid (affiliate link): https://prowritingaid.com/?afid=4955
📬 My email newsletter, The Inkwell: https://nicolebianchi.com/newsletter/

7 Letters from Famous Writers Sharing Fantastic Writing Advice

Published February 4, 2021 | Last Updated November 13, 2023 By Nicole Bianchi 6 Comments

“If I had more time, I would have written a shorter letter.” — Blaise Pascal

I love reading the journals and correspondence of famous writers. It’s a wonderful way to get a peek into their writing process, and often you’ll discover exquisite gems — fantastic advice you can use to become a better writer.

That quote attributed to Blaise Pascal is one example. It’s an excellent reminder to examine your writing and see if there are any parts you could leave out — unnecessary repetition, irrelevant tangents, etc. Unfortunately for Pascal’s friend, Pascal didn’t have time to edit his letter. I hope the unedited letter was entertaining. 😉

In today’s blog post, I’ve highlighted the best writing advice from letters from seven different famous writers. Enjoy!

[Read more…]